Mark your calendars- Great Divide is coming to San Diego! 7 brews including the Yeti will be tapped tonight at Urge Gastropub.

Friday, October 1, 2010

An Evening of Chocolate and Beer: Ann Arbor, Michigan

5:30PM-9:30PM @ Jolly Pumpkin Brewery

We’ll have Patric Chocolate’s Alan McClure and Jolly Pumpkin‘s Ron Jeffries here for an informal presentation and Q&A with chocolate and beer samples. And then if your heart desires, there is a strolling beer, chocolate and food tasting featuring pairings. Ron’s brewed some very special chocolate beers for this event, and we are very excited to taste them. Chocolate and Beer Tasting – $15 – 5:30 to 6:30 PM
Price includes samples of beer and chocolate. Beer, Chocolate & Food Tasting – $35 – 6:30 to 9:30 PM OR you can buy tickets for both events for $45 and save!

Whole Foods Market’s Local Homebrew Hero Contest is under way and the entries have been rolling in. They will be accepting entries until Sunday October 3rd. Stop by anytime and get a copy of the Rules, Entry, and Bottle Label Forms. Entry is free and welcome to anyone interested. Check out our website for more information.http://wholefoodsmarket.com/stores … beer-room/

If you go to an event, want to go to an event or had a beer at an event leave a comment or email us at beerblotter@gmail.com. Cheers!

An evening with Snipes Brewing Co.‘s Chris Miller and plenty of samples of his amazing beers. If you see their Bourbon Barrel Aged Porter, Moo Cow (a Belgium), Twangzister Sour Cherry Stout** (Barrel Aged Sour) Diminished Returns Double IPA or their Pumpkin Death ORDER IT. Of course, Snipes’ regular rotations are also worth a taste!

You know I love drinking for a cause, so tonight, get out and consume some Abita beers to help the Gulf Coast. In bottles, they are cracking open Abita’s “Save Our Shore” special brew and tapping Turbodog and Fall Fest beginning at 7 p.m. Spend $5.00 and keep your pint with $4 refills. For every bottle sold Abita will donate $0.75 to the rescue and restoration of the environment, industry and individuals fighting to survive the disastrous oil spill.

This event marks the release of Dogfish Head’s Bitches Brew. As always, DFH made a beer to tantilize the senses and push the boundaries of innovation. Bitches Brew is described as “a bold dark beer that is a fusion three threads of Imperial Stout and one thread of honey beer with gesho root”… at 9% abv. Cannot wait to try this…if I ever get my hands on it!

Its that time of the year- time for beers that are spiced and beers with pumpkin flavors. Today put your palette to the test and decide which brewery has the best pumpkin ale. They will have several pumpkin ales for you to taste and food pairing with the beers.

Visit: After a 5 hour, yes 5 hour, drive from Seattle to Portland (this drive normally takes 2 hours, at most) preceded by a long day at work, I was practically out of my mind once I arrived at Saraveza. Knowing there was an IPA festival awaiting me kept me alive during the grueling drive.

Food Options: For the full menu click here. I personally tried the picked deviled eggs. It was a jazzed up version of a childhood, summer picnic favorite- a must have for the table! They are known for their pasties. Potato, veggie, cheese and meat are cooked in a light, flaky crust; kind of like a calzone for woodsmen and Germans. I had the vegetarian option and it was flavorful, but slightly dry. It could have used some stone ground mustard on the side or another dipping sauce.

BAR OPINION:

I was basically silent the entire cab ride from the hotel to the bar. I was starved and needed a beer to take the week’s edge off.

We arrived to a packed bar. People to my right standing at tall boy tables and glowing coolers full of bottles to my left. We keep walking – no time to gawk – we need a table, stat! Past the bar is a small dining area with a few booths, all wooden with tall backs. Holy crap, we get a table. The gods know what I just went through, a hellish ride on Interstate 5. Crawling for 100 miles. The table tops are made of bottle caps covered in glass- always a nice touch.

Despite the intensity of the crowd, the waitress was extremely attentive. We order a sampler tray of IPAs- 5 10poz pours for $8.00- done deal and an order of the pickled deviled eggs. Okay now that I am satisfied with my first sip of beer, I finally take a moment to soak in my surroundings.

Portland: organic, adventurous, wilderness. Words that come to mind when I think of the city and those that inhabit it. Saraveza’s decor captures the essence of the city- Paintings of outdoor scenes, mountains, forests. Heads of wild animals hang from the walls. The added kitschy adornments gives Saraveza a warm, welcoming feel.

All in all Saraveza is worth a stop. It felt out of the way, but to me, almost every neighborhood in Portland feels “out of the way.” A small space with a cult following, expect to fight for a table. But once you sit down with a beer in your hand and an egg or sausage on your plate, the crowds will just melt away.

Note: Sorry for the lack of pictures- I was on a serious mission that night- beer + food.

A weekend of home brewing and beers at Fremont Brewing Co., it was quiet and delightful. Fremont Brewing Co.’s Interurban IPA dry hopped with Centennial and Thai Basil as well as their Summer Solstice with lime are both amazing brews. But now for your beer week ahead.

The first in the series of three Brixx Cask Events. This month will feature Bell’s Two Hearted Ale and tickets are $20 per person. Tasters receive a hearty Pairings Pizza, a pint of Bell’s Two Hearted Cask AND a regular pint of Two Hearted for a true comparison. A real treat as there are only a few of these firkins in North Carolina.

7:00PM-10:00PM @ Urban Farmer
Chef Matt Christianson of Urban Farmer Restaurant has partnered with Upright Brewing owner and head brewer, Alex Ganum, to celebrate summer’s quintessential ingredients: Beer and Barbecue. Chef Matt and Alex have collaborated on a five-course dinner that pairs Oregon Dungeness crab, Wagyu beef and Afton Field Farm chicken with farmhouse inspired beers that are brewed just a few miles from the restaurant in the Rose Quarter’s Left Bank Project. Price is $65 Per Person plus gratuity. For reservations, contact Urban Farmer at 503-802-4630.

Sample some of the best beers the industry has to offer in your very own festival tasting glass. Soak up those delicious beers with Ed’s “Best of the Wurst” German-style buffet, which includes German sausages, red kraut, potato and pasta salad, and a nice assortment of Eddie’s Breads from the Wonderful Good Market.

The $30 ticket also gets you some great entertainment, and a free shuttle to and from all of the local hotels.

The festival sessions are from NOON- 4PM and 7-11PM. $30 per session. 21+ ONLY!

Be one of the first in our area to get a try at the Terrapin Beer Co brews during this beer tasting at High Street Grill. Several beers from the featured brewery will be on tap for your pleasure and enjoyment. Report back!

Available this evening will be 2 Litre commemorative Stone Brewing Co growlers full of their delicious and award winning IPA. Buy it, share it among friends, and then take your empty growler home for future fills of….BEER! Growlers are on a first come, first serve basis and are limited.

In keeping with our love of Mid-western beers and more importantly Founders’ beers, we encourage you to stop by this event. This is a FREE beer tasting and food pairing where a special tasting menu will incorporate and highlight 4 Founders products, including an excellent rarity. Attendees will receive a ticket good for $1 off any forunders product on draft. RSVP is requested but not necessary.

This event is only one hour, so plan to get there first! A weekly event were at least eight brews, a special barrel or two are poured to coincide with the event. This Friday from 6-7pm Party Town will be opening a selection of beers from the Sierra Nevada Brewing Company.

A hands on experience to say the least. You will venture inside the homes of the city’s finest amateur brewers to see their set-ups, discuss their craft and, most importantly, sample from their stashes of superlative beer–Rye IPAs, barleywines, saisons, Belgian pale ales and coffee stouts are all on tap. There will be three stops; bring a Metrocard. $25 pp includes samples.

The Cask Conditioned Ale Festival for 2010 will feature a staunch line-up of some hard to find or specially brewed ales such as Avery Dry Hopped IPA; Thirsty Dog Orthus with Cherries and many more! $30 per person ($25 for 2010 World Tourists) and will include a buffet!

We have 4 tables of beer vendors and 6 tables of wine vendors, each paired with a restaurant matching food to beer/wine. Both sides (beer & wine) are joining forces for a good cause as all proceeds from the event will go via the American Red Cross to benefit Haiti. Beer vendors in attendance are Berkshire Brewing,Smuttynose Brewing, Mayflower Brewing, and Atlantic Importing. Tickets are $25 and are very limited.

So, its 6AM in Belgium and we are still awake/its time to attempt to get back on Seattle time. Much more to come on our Belgium trip this week on beerblotter.com. As always if you have been to an event, want us to post an event, have a comment about going to an event or just want to profess your love of beer, leave a comment or email us at beerblotter@gmail.com. Cheers!

The facade of Beveridge Place Pub in West Seattle - the site of the Annual Bacchanal of Barleywines

Beveridge Place Pub’s 7th Annual Barleywine Bacchanal kicks off this Friday, February 26th, with over 40 barleywines pouring for a week straight from 24 taps. That’s a lot of big bold brews to choose from. Since there is clearly more beers than taps, there will be a constant rotation of kegs a flowin’. As one blows, another will replace it, and so on.

The folks over at the Washington Beer Blog were kind enough to post the complete list for all to slobber over. Below you will find the entire list. Clearly, all are barleywines, and thus, all are going to be packed with copious quantities of both malt and hops. All will be fairly high in alcohol, and chances are good that all will taste pretty darn good. Your main fear should be a harsh, young vintage. Sometimes these fellas just need some time to mature and mellow out. Too much bitterness and not enough sweetness can make your barleywine experience akin to being strangled by a hop vine. There is no question, if you read this site with any regularity, that Beer Blotter holds great respect for Father Time and his agile hand at improving beers of many kinds, especially barleywines.

For Beer Blotter, the older the vintage, the more excited we are to try it. Both rare and refined, these pours should improve your evening no matter who brewed them.

So our first overarching tip to you, “age is all the rage”.

But we need more detail than that. Let’s dig deeper.

The biggest challenge of the Bacchanal is the barrels-to-taps ratio. The rotation system will make it difficult to have a clear game plan for your visit, whatever day you choose to attend. You will never really know exactly what to expect, which, granted, offers its own brand of excitement. Your best bet is to pre-create a list of b-dubs that you’re most excited to taste, and chances are that no matter what day you decide to venture out to West Seattle there will be at least a few of them available.

Perhaps a look at the Beer Blotter list could assist you in creating your own list. Below, as promised, is the unadulterated list. Below that, the Beer Blotter list.

-This is a “must” if offered at the time of your visit. A Northwest Masterpiece. Alaskans know how to warm up with Barleywine. This guy ranks very well in any festival that it is involved in. In the last 5 years this brew has placed in the top 3 at Brouwer’s Hard Liver Barleywine Fest 3 times, and the ’07 vintage was number 1 last year. A warning though…chances are high that these will only be available on Monday, March 1st or Tuesday, March 2nd when verticals are offered. To try all three vintages side by side would truly be a treat.

Lagunitas, Old Gnarleywine ‘04, ‘06, ‘07

-In Beer Blotter’s humble opinion, there is not many Barleywines being made in the world better than Gnarleywine. The ’08 vintage was awarded 3rd place in this years Toronado Barley Wine Festival, and chances are, the older the better. Do not skip this one, any vintage. Another warning: 3 years offered…look to vertical night for these.

Speakeasy, Old Godfather ‘09

-Though this is young, the ’06 got second place last year at Brouwer’s. Expect this one to be high in alpha…it’s the Speakeasy way.

Stone, Old Guardian ‘07, ‘08, ‘09

-If you read Timperial’s review of the ’07 vintage you would know, this beer is sickly good. Astounding balance, even through time.

Victory, Old Horizontal ’09 & Dogfish Head, Olde School ‘09

-With the exception of a few CO representatives, these are the only 2 offerings that aren’t from the West. Reason? They are astounding beers made by two of America’s best breweries.

Fish, 10 Squared ‘08, ’09 & Leviathan ‘06

-Both of these beers are incredible and hard to come by, even in their home state. 10 Squared was probably my personal favorite from last years Hard Liver Fest and old vintages of Leviathan, like this ’06, are pretty much legendary. The barrel-aged version of Leviathan is in the top 10 on ratebeer.com’s list of barleywines.

Port, Angel’s Share ‘09

-It would be silly of me to leave this one out since it is literally one of my favorite beers of all time. Number 9 on ratebeer.com’s barley wine list.

New Old Lompoc, Old Tavern Rat ‘08

-Beer Blotter recently had this from the always-impressive taps of Uber Tavern and really enjoyed it. Very nutty if you’re into that.

Boundary Bay, Old Bounder ‘09

-Seattle does not see enough Boundary Bay. Maybe if we drain this keg quickly the “will of the people” will change that depressing fact.

That’s a pretty healthy list for you, and honestly, I could go on an on. There is A LOT of really good stuff on this list, and even a few that Beer Blotter has never had and looks forward to trying (like Lucky Lab, can we please have more of their beers in Seattle?).

Anyone and everyone within striking distance of Seattle should never, EVER miss events like this. We are so lucky to have beer bars that put so much time, effort and money into aging beers for years and organizing such exciting festivals. Beer Blotter sends a massive hug to Gary and The Bev for making this happen year after year.

PTY, Russian River Brewing Co.’s triple IPA has made it up North to Seattle. We missed the keg at Collin’s Pub on Friday, but we are NOT missing out this time around. This keg is bound to be kicked in an hour, maybe even less, so get there early.

A four course meal paired with Upright Brewing’s seasonal beers. This dinner is limited to 25 people at $40.00 per person. Call the restaurant for reservations at 503-802-5850. Beers to be had include: Gose (rare german wheat beer brewed tart with coriander and salt); Flora Rustica (old world saison brewed with yarrow and calendula flowers); Oyster Stout (stout brewed with oysters); Billy the Mountain (pinot barrel aged old ale). Billy the Mountain is especially unique.

Pioneer Brewing Co. has Cask Conditioned their Stout and added a handful of fresh Cascade Hops. This will be their first time with a Cask Condition brew. Chris Courtney, the assistant brewer will be in attendance to answer any questions you may have. Look for more Cask Conditioned beers in 2010 from Pioneer Brewing Co.

Since 1/3 of Beer Blotter reigns from the great state of Ohio, we wanted to feature this event. Stop by to sample around 20 different beers from the middle of the USA. The draft list isnt posted, but one can only hope breweries like Great Lakes, Founders and Three Floyds will be available for your enjoyment.

Sample 2007, 2008, and 2009 Bourbon County Stout with the folks from Goose Island Beer Co. Those that show up early enough will also have a chance to sample our very special treat, 2005 Bourbon County Stout. Limited amounts of each, so the beer is first come, first served. This beer ages very well, so it will be interesting to compare the taste through the years.

As mentioned above, we are moving into the barleywine season, so keep an eye out for featured barleywines at your favorite beer bars! Beer Blotter is looking forward to the barleywine festival at Beveridge Place Pub beginning on the 26th with 24 Dedicated Barleywine Taps and 50 different barleywines rotating throughout the Fest! Attending an event, want to attend an event, want to want to attend an event? Leave a comment or email us at beerblotter@gmail.com. Cheers!